Sleep is right up there with what you eat and how you exercise when it comes to muffintop control, so PLEASE hear me when I say GET TO BED! The dishes and the laundry can wait, and so can the next episode of Mad Men…

So here’s the deal. Your body is so brilliant it actually has it’s own biological time clock. It has a natural circadian rhythm that it hopes you will listen to and honor. It also tells you when you are not honoring your natural sleep patters by creating circles under your eyes, fat around your mid-section, brain fog, and much more. But be warned, your body is so loyal to you that it will reluctantly adapt to your habits. I often hear clients say, “I don’t need much sleep”, or “I have always been this way”…. Truth is, somewhere along the line their biological rhythm has gotten off course. This can even happen to babies. Over time, poor sleep habits make a big difference in your wellness of being, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Your body does most of it’s REPAIR while you sleep, and, just so you know, REPAIR = ANTI-AGING.

The bodies natural rhythm is set to wind down and rise up according to the sun. This is why you feel so tired as you head into winter. Your body is actually speaking to you and asking you to adjust your schedule for more rest as the nights become longer. So why not listen and go to bed earlier?

If your schedule requires you to rise before the sun, then make sure you are making up for it during the day with a nap.

Naps are the bomb. They do much more than just recharge your battery. They recharge your mind, body, and spirit. They help keep you from being that crazy person that surfaces when you are stressed out and tired. Yea, you know what I’m talking about.

So what does sleep have to do with your muffin top?

It all has to do with your hormones, imagine that…. When your body has to push itself to stay awake it calls upon what is often referred to as our “stress hormone”, Cortisol. Cortisol keeps you going, but not without a price. It also promotes fat storage around the mid-section….another magical way our body lets us know something is out of balance.

POOR SLEEP HABITS = MUFFINTOP.

So here’s a few tips (you have to wait for my book to get the full sleep protocol

1) Take Magnesium. A Chelated form is best. A ratio of 2:1 with calcium is also helpful.

2) Cut the caffeine by noon each day.

3) Start moving up your bedtime by 15 minutes each week until you get to 10 pm or earlier. I frankly believe 9pm is ideal for health and beauty.

4) Clear your mind. Write a list of everything you have to do before you wind down for bed so your mind doesn’t keep racing and thinking about things. Knowing you have written it all down releases you from thinking about it.

5) Keep rich foods, alcohol and sugar to a minimum after 6pm. (and ideally at all times

Cherries are high in melatonin, whey has tryptophan, Inositol is an amino acid that supports sleep, and coconut milk has good fats to help you sleep. This one tastes great, too.

These supplements can be purchased by clicking on the Designs for Health button on this Blog. DFH is a top quality brand found only through health professionals. They do it right, no fillers, sugars, crap of any kind. The raw materials are the best available. I have used them for almost 10 years because they get the best results. The quality is far better than most store bought products. My cart will be set up in about a week. So check back then.

I hope you have a restful holiday, taking time to love yourself and your family enough to SLEEP. Your family and your muffintop will be better because of it….